Episode 1871 (2 December 1999)
Synopsis Lucy is having a biopsy this afternoon. Pat looks after the other children, and tells Mel she is doing a great job of propping Ian up. Terry complains to Irene about his red bank statement, and reads out several women's clothes shops. Irene shrugs and says she needed new shoes - Terry asks who she thinks she is - Imelda Marcos? Nina offers to move out of Beppe's because Sam is there so often. Beppe says no, and he will tell Sam to back off. Steve asks Mel how Steven is, and she thanks him again. Mark offers to help Martin with his homework, but it's maths and Mark's no good at it, so Martin says he'll go round to Jeff's, and Mark is obviously pissed off at this, and says Jeff will be busy, and Martin says OK, and hands his maths homework to Mark to do. Mark fails, and asks everyone, but the only person who has heard of Pythagorus is Jeff, who finds it simple. Andrea turns up late to go back to Essex, and Natalie has to leave for a meeting. Andrea gives Barry a sob story and hands him an envelope for Natalie, with the cheque for 9K and some child photos. Barry chases after her and asks her to stay a little bit longer to try to make it up with Natalie. Jackie cunningly plants in Gianni's mind the possibility of taking over the Vic, as it would be his own business, and it would expand the Di Marco empire, etc. Gianni is amenable to the idea of playing mien host rather than slaving over a hot stove all day! Frank apologises to Peggy about Janine. Peggy says Janine's the liar, he doesn't have to apologise, and it can't go on like this, so she has a solution that she thinks will suit everyone. Janine tells Sonia that she can manipulate Frank to do whatever she wants, and Sonia isn't too impressed. Frank and Peggy come up with a compromise - that they will put their move on hold and buy a flat in Walford for their visits home, and Janine will have her own room there, etc. Janine starts to sulk but decides its the best she'll get so she agrees and thanks Frank, who then goes out happy. Janine and Peggy then have a bitch, with Janine saying that Peggy must be pleased to take Frank from his children and Peggy telling Janine that she's been rumbled and all her lies will have no effect on Peggy. Lucy has an operation, and Ian whinges a lot to the nurse and is generally a huge nuisance. He has ordered Mel to bring a long list of items to the hospital, and she misses her tube, so is lugging the stuff all round the square to order a cab, when Steve sees her and offers her a lift, presuming she's going to the hospital. Mel hesitates, but Steve says he won't bite and it's up to her - be terribly late and cold and wet or accept the lift. She smiles and agrees. Steve drops her off outside the hospital and thanks her for not turning against him, and she gives him a hug, which lasts forever, and Ian sees her as he's browsing around the shop waiting for Lucy to be allowed to see him again. Mel goes in to see Lucy, and Ian appears behind her asking why she was so late. Mel says she had to get a cab, and Ian asks her for details about the driver, whether he minded all the stuff, and was he helpful. Mel is obviously even more stupid than she looks because she carries on lying and elaborates even more on her lies the more Ian asks her, obviously not realising that Ian is making a point. Credits Main cast *Adam Woodyatt as Ian *Tamzin Outhwaite as Melanie *Casey Anne Rothery as Lucy *Pam St. Clement as Pat *Shaun Williamson as Barry *Lucy Speed as Natalie *Cindy O'Callaghan as Andrea *Barbara Windsor as Peggy *Mike Reid as Frank *Charlie Brooks as Janine *Danniella Westbrook as Sam *Michael Greco as Beppe *Marc Bannerman as Gianni *Louise Jameson as Rosa *Leila Birch as Teresa *Race Davies as Jackie *Martin Kemp as Steve *Todd Carty as Mark *Wendy Richard as Pauline *Leslie Schofield as Jeff *June Brown as Dot *Roberta Taylor as Irene *Gavin Richards as Terry *Troy Titus-Adams as Nina *Lucy Benjamin as Lisa *Jack Ryder as Jamie *Sid Owen as Ricky *John Bardon as Jim *Dean Gaffney as Robbie *Natalie Cassidy as Sonia *Carly Hillman as Nicky *James Alexandrou as Martin *Ashvin Luximon as Asif *Edward Savage as Steven *Joseph Shade as Peter *Jake Kyprianou as Joe *Karen Pascoe as Viv Category:Episode Category:1999 Episodes